Third Buoy

The big yellow sun glared off of the water's surface. The air was sticky and hot with an unmistakable scent of honeysuckle, lake water and fish in the air. Large boulders circled the west side of the bank, the tallest about 15 feet above the still water.

Suzie stood watching the water from her perch; the top of the tallest rock. She could barely recognize her tiny reflection in the water. It was jagged revealing a thin half naked girl with long blonde hair. The sun felt heavy on her bare shoulders. She could feel the lack of a breeze across her bare back and chest, and she longed to feel the cool water on her skin.

"Look Papa, I see me."

Carl watched her with amusement. His pale blue eyes full of pride. She was his little girl, his first granddaughter, and she had the same frontier spirit coursing through her tiny body that he had had all of his life. She was so much like him.

"Papa, can I swim, now?" Suzie's voice was urgent with excitement and longing.

"Well, we'd need to get to the shore first, Suzie. The water is too far away." Papa reached his carpenter's hand in her direction, expecting her to take it.

She refused his hand and sidled closer to the edge of the boulder. Her bare feet burned on the top of the scorched white rock. Suzie made faces at her reflection, and it smiled back at her beckoning her to jump in.

"Papa, I think I can jump. Let me jump, Papa."

"Suzie, that's an awful long way down for such a little girl."

"Papa, I know I can do it." Her blue eyes sparkled as she pleaded with him, and Carl could tell there was no arguing with her. They were just too much alike.

"Okay," but let me go in first. When I get below the rock, you can jump to me. Do you understand?"

Suzie grinned. "Oh, Papa! I understand." Suzie plopped down onto the boulder. Her thin panties were not much protection against the rock baked by the Texas sun. She wiggled slightly trying to adjust her backside to the intense heat.

She looked to her left and watched as Papa walked into the water. His 6'4 frame glided smoothly through the depths, and soon he was swimming with long perfect strokes towards the bottom of the rock.

"Papa, I see you!" Suzie's excitement surmounted. She hopped up from the rock and began jumping in place. Carl maneuvered into position in the water.

"Suzie, I'm ready. You can jump now." Carl watched his granddaughter, knowing that it was just a matter of time until she landed in the water beside him.

"Okay, Papa. Are you ready for real?"

"Yes, sweetheart, I'm ready for real."

Suzie stopped jumping and walked forward. Her big toes hung off of the boulder. She could feel the void, and it excited her. Suzie bent her tiny legs, shut her eyes and crouched slightly. She imagined she were a bird, took a deep breath and jumped.

Momentarily, she could feel the wind rush past her. She could feel the warm water as it folded around her body. She opened her eyes. The hazy green water stung as it rubbed against them, but she refused to close them. She didn't want to miss a thing.

Her freefall slowed as she reached just short of the bottom of the lake, and like a torpedo she was propelled back towards the surface. Her drenched blond head broke the wet glassy ceiling. Suzie took a deep breath of the hot air, and looked around.

Carl swam close to her; his smile was almost as big as hers.

"Papa, did you see me? I flew!"

"Yes, you did. You were amazing!"

Suzie's eyes were bright. "Papa...can I do it again?"